Celebrations

Sunrise Service at Puowaina ("Punchbowl")

2008/Mar/23 12:31

Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service at the National
Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Puowaina), Honolulu.
2008Easter_halo

Celebrants representing 8 denominations across the island, and the ASL translator.
2008 Sunrise Serivce celebrants

The Royal Hawaiian Band
Roayal Hawaiian Band

Puowaina, like Diamond Head, is an extinct volcanic crater.
It lies in the heart of Honolulu.
Interior of Puowaina

View of Diamond Head from the center of Puowaina.

Blessed and Happy Easter to All!

Tags: Celebrations, Hawaii

Wahoo!: Valentine for a Special Couple

2008/Feb/13 10:24

Today I wanted to make a special dinner for two people who aren't actually here in Hawaii, but who live in our hearts and thoughts everyday. We've begged, pleaded and cajoled them to visit here from cold and snowy (especially right now!!) Maine, but alas, to no avail. I'm sure they find the usual recipes on these pages a bit odd, and maybe even downright strange, and that's okay because they love me anyway. But today I wanted to send them a Valentine's wish for a very special anniversary.

I looked for a Maine version of this recipe, certain that it would be a staple there. But of the 6 Maine cookbooks I consulted, not one had a recipe for Fish Pie. I found that a bit astonishing, to be honest, because this dish has so many things for New Englanders to love: sweet white-meat fish, mashed potatoes, and a light cream sauce. T describes it as a Maine-style fish stew with mashed potatoes on top. For those of you familiar with Shepherd's Pie, or Cumberland Pie, you can think of this as a marine version of that, too.

I’ve had to rely instead on the recipe we used, and on which we were tested on so often, at the Leith’s School. I’ve adapted the methods a bit (sorry, Claire, I haven’t mashed potatoes through a sieve since 2000!), but the recipe is tried and true. One thing I like about this recipe is its method of poaching the fish in seasoned milk. The onion and bay leaf help to cut down any fishy smell, and in turn the poaching adds flavor to the milk, which is then used to make the bechamel sauce that will bathe the fish in creamy goodness. This was made with Wahoo, a popuar local fish also known as Ono (and it IS ono, too), and corn. It’s one of T’s favorites, too, so he gets a second early Valentine’s dinner — he’ll eat some for you both, Mom and Dad!

For Steve and Gladys, this one's for you! Thank you for all your love and support, and for sharing yourselves and one of the most wonderful of guys in the world with me. Happy Anniversary, late but with all our love!

BuzzellWedding

*** This recipe is joining the heart-shaped savory pies we made earlier for zorra’s “Heart for your Valentine” event at 1x umrühren bitte. The event closes on Friday, the 15th, but zorra is updating the round-up as entries come in, so if you want ideas to tickle your Valentine’s fancy, there are already dozens of entries on-line. Check out the round-up here or by clicking the banner in the sidebar. ***

WAHOO (FISH) PIE
(adapted from The Leith's Cookery Bible)
Mis en place:
1. Mashed Potatoes (for topping) (or use your favorite recipe)
1.5 lb (675g) floury potato (e.g., Russett)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup + 2 TBL. (100 ml) milk, room temperature
4 TBL. (55g) butter, room temperature
pinch fresh nutmeg (about 3 passes on a grater)

Peel potatoes, cut in quarters, and place in steamer. Steam over medium-high steam for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Place milk, butter, salt and pepper in large bowl. Transfer hot potatoes to bowl, season with salt and peper, and immediately mash or whip to fulffy consistency. Add nutmeg, if using, and stir to mix through.
(Actually, when I make mashed potatoes for fish pie, I usually just mash the potatoes with a bit of sea salt and ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil because there is so much butter, milk and cream in the sauce, it is too rich for my blood. But for company or a special occasion, I'll splurge on the butter and milk in the potatoes too.)

2. Poach Fish:
1.5-2lb. (675-900g) haddock, cod, wahoo, mahimahi, or other firm white fish, with skin
1-3/4 cup (425ml) whole or low-fat milk (don't recommend using non-fat)
½ onion, sliced
8-10 peppercorns
3-4 small bay leaves
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C.

In small oven-proof pan with deep sides, lay onion slices, peppercorns and bay leaves in pan. Place fish, skin side up (this is supposed to further protect your fish from drying out) on top of onions. Pour milk over fish, season with salt, and cover with parchment or wax paper. Cook in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until fish is opaque (cooked through). Cooking time will depend on thickness of fish.

Remove fish from pan, and keep covered to retain heat. Strain milk to remove solids, but KEEP MILK to make Bechamel Sauce.

3. Make Bechamel Sauce:
2 TBL. (30g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (30g) flour
Reserved Milk from Poached Fish
2 TBL. heavy cream (or double cream)

Melt butter in saucepan, and immediately add flour. Stirring constantly, cook together for one minute. Add 2 TBL. of Reserved Milk, and whisk until milk is completely absorbed. Add 2 more TBL. of Reserved Milk, and stir to incorporate. Continue to add increasing amounts of milk to slurry in pan, and whisk well. Bring sauce slowly to a boil over medium heat, then add cream and remove from heat. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Assemble and Bake:
5 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled; OR 1 cup ( g) peas, green beans or veggie of your choice
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, minced (about 2 TBL.)

Place 6-cup oven-proof casserole on baking sheet. Flake fish in large chunks into casserole. Add eggs, if using, or vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley. Pour hot sauce over all. (Can be cooled and refrigerated overnight up to this point, to top with potatoes and bake later. Lay wax or parchment paper directly on surface of sauce to prevent "skin" from forming.)

Spread a layer of mashed potates over fish and, using a fork, make a traditional criss-cross pattern over the top (photo on left). Alternatively, pipe mashed potatoes in attractive pattern over fish (heart-shaped pan).

Drizzle with olive oil, and and place casserole on baking sheet into middle shelf in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until filling is hot throughout. Test filling with metal needle or skewer to make certain it is hot. If potatoes start to brown before filling is properly heated, cover lightly with foil/aluminium.

If you're baking a pie that was begun 24 hours earlier and refriegerated: Cover with foil/aluminium and bake for 30 minutes. Test filling as outlined above. Remove foil and continue baking another 10 minutes or until potatoes lightly brown.

Serve with salad, and a dry (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris) or mildly sweet (Riesling or White Zinfandel) white wine.

(This recipe also complies with the GDC, so it shouldn't trouble my dad's gout. More gout-friendly recipes)

Tags: Celebrations, Fish, Recipes, Events

Kung Hee Fat Choy: Happy Lunar New Year

2008/Feb/06 15:00

Tomorrow officially begins the new lunar year, 4706 — The Year of the Rat. Here on Oahu the festivities began early in January, and culminated publicly over the weekend with three days of partying in Honolulu's Chinatown. We caught the tail-end of the parade and the beginning of the street party on Saturday. We must have have missed the firecrackers, or perhaps there was a rain delay because it was quite wet in town all weekend. Despite the weather, hundreds of brave folks lined Hotel Street to watch the parade and stroll along the fest tents on Nu'uanu Street to sample fresh-cooked meat skewers, noodles, jai (also called monk's food, a vegetarian rice meal filled with good luck symbolism), fried rice, plate lunches, dim sum, and the hot fried-food-of-the-night — "jin doi," crispy, hollow sesame-covered rice balls with a smear of sweet bean paste inside (far right photo below). Dad was looking for a remembered treat from Manila that he called "tikoy" — turned out to be Gau (photo above), the super sticky brown-sugar and rice-flour "cake" that is available all over Chinatown and much of Oahu this time of year. For such simple ingredients, it's quite an addictive treat.
Hotel Street after the parade

We only caught the last 2 entries in the parade, including this gaily decorated, if slightly water-logged, lion and his stalwart handlers.
The last lion wneds his way down the damp parade route

The last lion wneds his way down the damp parade route

Lion pauses for a feeding during the parade

After the parade, the lions go their separate ways to visit shops and other businesses in the area. People vie to "feed" the lions since doing so will bring good luck for the coming year. Many folks try to entice their youngsters to bring their "food" to the lions, but with their energetic dancing, and flashing bright eyes, the lions could be a bit intimidating for the little ones, too. First-timers are often carried by their parents. After receiving their monetary meal, the lions often bow in front of the donor and sometimes wag their tails!
A lion approaches

Lion bows its appreciation to its youngest benefactor

Dad made his offerings to one of the lions — one for Nikko, one for Kenji, and one Masato. I couldn't catch them both still, one was always in motion (Dad moves fast for a senior citizen!).
Dad and the Red Lion

More about Honolulu's Chinatown:
Part I: Come see what you've been missing
Part II: Best buys

Tags: Celebrations, Chinatown, Hawaii

Christmas in Honolulu: Trees Display

2007/Dec/12 08:34

Having had your photo op on the lawn of Honolulu Hale (pronounced HAH-leh) with the over-sized North Pole denizens vacationing in Hawaii (last post), it's time to see what's happening inside. Once through the doors of the Hale (City Hall) — and after your eyes adjust from the bright sun to the softer natural light of the the Hale atrium — you are met with a charming Christmas tree display organized and decorated by city and county employees. Each tree is sponsored by a department agency and sports a theme (recycling, protecting wildlife, family tradition, etc.). The first photo of the atrium is actually from last year's display because I forgot to take one this year, but this gives you an idea of the effect.
xmastrees_rows02

The blue Christmas palm tree is one of my favorites this year because it envisions a foxtail palm as a Christmas tree, which seems more practical in the tropics — and has lauhala (coconut woven) fish as decorations. It looks blurry because it's actually spinning, to simulate the fish swimming underwater (I think).
xmastrees_sign

Santa goes local with an aloha shirt and grass skirt; an elf chef sports an aloha shirt and apron.
xmastrees_santa

These little miniature houses represent a few of the many cultures at home in Hawaii: Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese and Portuguese (click on photo to enlarge)
xmastrees_houses_china

All these last photos are from the same tree display hosted by the customer service department -- it's theme was protecting Hawaii's native species and using recycled materials to build "homes" for them.
At the foot of the tree are a mynah and a couple of mongoose; as well as a band of gecko fans plugging for the UH-Warriors in the Sugar Bowl.
xmastrees_animals_mynah

These mice seem to be playing petanque (aka bocce) in front of their exquisitely constructed straw and wood house. The detail in the doors, lanai, and windows is inspired. As is this bird house cleverly recycled from a Zippy's chili tub and plastic eating utensils!
xmastrees_animals_mice

As you step back, the full effect of this creatively imagined and beautifully realized tree can be enjoyed. An endangered white fairy tern alights at the tree's top.
xmastrees_animals_mousetree

If you head through the atrium and to the right, then left just before the exit, you'll find a wreath display. Several dozen wreaths were made by schools and individuals for an annual island competition. They are all well-crafted, but here are four that really captured my attention. The first is from a local school championing conservation and recycling (something dear to my heart). The garden implements envisioned as a wreath is just darn clever!
xmaswreaths_gogreen

This tribute to Queen Keopuolani by the women of her namesake dormitory at the Kamehameha Schools just took my breath away. There is such grace and power in the woman's form, which is covered in a decoupage of pictures of the Queen, as well as moss. The red and gold are the colors of the Ali'i, the native Hawaiian ruling class. The last wreath recycles dried native flora into a beautiful wreath that can be displayed long into the new year.
xmaswreaths_keaulopani

To see pictures of the Honolulu Hale Christmas Tree and lawn display with their lights all aglow for the opening night festivities, visit the Honolulu City Lights official site.

Tags: Celebrations, Hawaii

Christmas in Honolulu: City Lights

2007/Dec/12 07:47

Menehune on the Lanakila Pineapple Express

Christmas trees amid swaying palms, Menehune (Hawaiian "little people" of fable) on trains, Hawaiian sea turtles playing with penguins, a snow family braving the full tropical sun — must be Christmas time in Hawaii! The annual Honolulu City Lights display is in full swing again in front of city hall, Honolulu Hale. It's a whimsical glimpse of how the Clauses might spend Christmas morning after Santa's hectic dash around the globe the night before. Hawaii is one of Santa's last stops on this side of the International Date Line, so it's time to kick off the slippahs (uh . . . boots), and have a tropical cocktail juice and some local grindz (laulau and poi). (Now that's what I'm talking about!)
Christmas in Honolulu

This Honu ofers Santa a cool guave juice

Laulau and poi are on offer from this chillin' Honu

They're okay as long as their hats stay on . . .

Next in store: The Christmas Tree display inside Honolulu Hale . . .

Tags: Celebrations, Hawaii

Happy Birthday, my Love

2007/Nov/29 09:24

Today is T's birthday. Isn't he a cutie? This picture is a little dated, maybe, but trust me he's still a heart-stealer!

Each year on his birthday, T will choose a meal he desires — sometimes it's as easy as a steak with blue cheese and roasted potatoes, one year it was octopus braised in red wine. This year he's asked for a complete Indian meal: vindaloo, tarka dal, aloo gobi and cardamom rice. He's also taken a pumpkin cheesecake (Brandon's recipe) to work to share with his colleagues after lunch. (My birthday "cards" for him are always edible . . . )

This is just a quick post to wish my Honey a very Happy 37th Birthday!

I love you

Tags: Celebrations

Three Tastes

Tao in the Kitchen

Sunrise Service at Puowaina ("Punchbowl")

Wahoo!: Valentine for a Special Couple

Kung Hee Fat Choy: Happy Lunar New Year

Christmas in Honolulu: Trees Display

Christmas in Honolulu: City Lights

Happy Birthday, my Love